Hi all - sorry if I missed it (searches on google and here at the site not turning up much), but I'm wondering if there's ways to get sim weather into ForeFlight.

I'm wanting to practice some hard IFR scenarios (XC w\ changing wx, specifically for improving FF proficiency with its various features) but without a FIS-B equivalent from the sim the only way I can get close is via live weather and waiting for... weather.

(if there's an XP option, I'm open to that as well)

Thanks much!

Edited May 27, 20242 yr by jackdleach

Hmm.. I was about to write and say it isn't possible, but I then decided to ask ChatGPT about it (yes, I know, I know... Take these answers with an iceberg of salt), but the answer intrigued me.

I'm not at my PC right now, but will try this later. In the meantime, for your enjoyment:

 

UPDATE: Don't believe a word of it... This information appears to be half, or wholly hallucinated and is junk! Sorry!
 

Quote

Yes, it is possible to load in-sim MSFS2020 weather into ForeFlight in ADS-B mode using third-party tools and software. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set this up:

1. Install and Set Up ForeFlight:

• Ensure you have ForeFlight installed on your iPad or compatible device.
• Make sure you have an active ForeFlight subscription.

2. SimConnect and Virtual Radar Server (VRS):

• Install SimConnect, which is necessary for interfacing with MSFS2020. SimConnect is included with MSFS2020 but you might need to manually install the client.
• Download and install Virtual Radar Server (VRS), a software that can broadcast simulated ADS-B data.

3. Install and Configure Flight Events:

• Download and install Flight Events (https://events.flighttracker.tech/), which allows MSFS2020 to broadcast data over the network.
• Create an account on Flight Events and log in within the application.
• Configure Flight Events to connect to MSFS2020 and start broadcasting.

4. Setup VRS:

• Open Virtual Radar Server.
• Configure VRS to receive data from Flight Events. This typically involves setting up a receiver within VRS that listens to the port where Flight Events is broadcasting.
• Ensure that VRS is configured to broadcast ADS-B data.

5. Configure ForeFlight to Receive Data:

• Connect your device running ForeFlight to the same network as your PC running MSFS2020 and VRS.
• In ForeFlight, go to the Devices tab and look for the Virtual Radar Server.
• Connect ForeFlight to the Virtual Radar Server to start receiving ADS-B data.

6. Sync MSFS2020 Weather with ForeFlight:

• To sync weather, you might need additional tools like the “MSFS2020 Flight Events Weather Plugin” or similar, depending on what’s available. This plugin will ensure the weather data from MSFS2020 is broadcasted appropriately.

7. Verify the Setup:

• Start a flight in MSFS2020.
• Check that ForeFlight is receiving data from VRS.
• Verify that weather information matches between MSFS2020 and ForeFlight.

This setup essentially uses a combination of tools to bridge the gap between MSFS2020 and ForeFlight, allowing the in-sim weather and other flight data to be transmitted and displayed on ForeFlight as if it were coming from an actual ADS-B source.

If you encounter any issues, ensure all software is up-to-date and that all devices are on the same network. Additionally, check forums and support communities for the latest plugins and troubleshooting tips specific to your setup.

 

Edited May 27, 20242 yr by Redge

1 hour ago, Redge said:

Hmm.. I was about to write and say it isn't possible, but I then decided to ask ChatGPT about it (yes, I know, I know... Take these answers with an iceberg of salt), but the answer intrigued me.

I'm not at my PC right now, but will try this later. In the meantime, for your enjoyment:
 

 

Wow! I had no idea this was possible I’m gonna give it a try tonight. 

It's probably only the weather in the vicinity, but as I've never tried ADS-B weather in Foreflight before (not being a real pilot) perhaps it shows in addition to the other radar options?

OK, ChatGPT appears to be spouting garbage. The weather plugin it mentioned above doesn't appear to exist (and isn't even on the roadmap for the mentioned tool).

Also, I realised that this weather data that it claims is easy to get, goes against everything that Asobo/MS have said about weather APIs and not making MeteoBlue's data available to nefarious users (i.e. people who would use MSFS simply to gain access to Meteoblue's weather model).

I asked ChatGPT to clarify and it admitted that it made the whole thing up about weather plugins...

AI's going to ruin the world, but probably by out-dumbing us rather than outsmarting...

Yeah I thought it sounded to good to be true. 

Ah, one can dream.  Thanks for the effort (my quick search based on the CGPT response didn't yield anything either)

This is the problem with ChatGPT - it's so "eager to please" it will happily invent an answer that sounds good if there's no correct answer it can give... 

It's almost a bit telling how it qualifies its answer here: 'To sync weather, you might need additional tools like the “MSFS2020 Flight Events Weather Plugin” or similar, depending on what’s available.' Almost like it's leaving itself an out... 😉 

Yeah. When I asked it to clarify it responded with an apology and then suggested an alternative tool: “Realsimgear Weather Engine”!!

It all sounds just plausible enough that it might be real. 

6 hours ago, Redge said:

I asked ChatGPT to clarify and it admitted that it made the whole thing up about weather plugins.

It’s my daily routine when asking something to any AI : Can you confirm ? What is the source of this xxxxx ? And… surprise! I very often have the standard « I’m sorry for the confusion ». Remark: These AI are better to create text based on some of input you gave them. For the rest, hallucination… hallucination…

ps: I don’t know how to inject MSFS weather into Foreflight. Unfortunately, I can only,rely on real time weather… and check the difference 🙂